Paranoia

Jiang Yi was completely stunned.

001?! A system?!

WTF! Are you kidding me?!

Not again?! Is she going to be transported to some unknown dynasty again and start all over again? The problem is, aside from being mentally exhausted, she's not injured anywhere else, especially not her brain!

But what shocked Jiang Yi the most was that her time travel was actually real! It wasn't a dream she had while she was unconscious!!

[Hello, host. Since your last mission was not entirely successful, we are sending you a request to travel through time. To agree, silently repeat step one; to refuse, silently repeat step two.]

A sentence suddenly popped into Jiang Yi's mind. She sighed, tossed her phone aside, and lay quietly on the bed, trying to communicate with the system.

【001, I've made up my mind, I'll choose number three.】

[...Sorry, host, there is no third option. Please make a choice as soon as possible.]

Jiang Yi's stubborn spirit also kicked in, and she resolutely refused:

【Do not select!】

[No choice made, prepare for electric shock. System punishment loading...]

Hey! Wait a minute! We can talk this out! Don't be so violent right from the start!

What would be the consequences of refusing?

[Prepare for electric shock...]

[Holy crap! It's even mandatory! Why does your lousy system even offer two-option options? Just don't say or ask anything, and just send me back. It's like your system is some kind of democratic system, ugh~]

[...The system reminds the host again: agree to silently recite "one," refuse to silently recite "two."]

[Don't rush me! First, tell me what it means to not complete the task. Otherwise, how am I supposed to make a choice? This is too hasty, isn't it?]

[...]

After saying this, the voice in her mind didn't appear for a long time, as if it was really considering it. Jiang Yi took the initiative to tap it to make it answer quickly.

Jiang Yi's body was not laid to rest.

Jiang Yi almost swore. She was perfectly healthy and alive, why was she being buried? What kind of burial was this?!

Wait! Jiang Yi's body!

Is it referring to the body she possessed in that other world? But more than two months have passed, why hasn't He Lin buried her? Her body should be rotting and stinking by now, right? What happened?

So, you're asking me for after-sales service?

[The host can understand it this way.]

Hey, your system service is terrible! Thumbs down!

[...]

[And another thing! What does it mean the mission wasn't completed? I didn't want to come back in the first place, so you forced me to return, okay? Now you're telling me I didn't complete the mission? Am I a football? What's the point of kicking me around like this?!]

[...]

After giving him a good scolding, Jiang Yi sighed and waved her hand mercifully, indicating that she didn't want to bother with this idiot.

"So, what exactly happened over there?"

Having learned its lesson from the scolding, 001 said that its system had suffered great damage and hadn't been able to load anything for a long time.

Jiang Yi was already hungry and was getting impatient. She was about to start cursing when Linglingyi realized this and stopped pretending to be dead. She quickly played a voice message to soothe her.

[System screen loading, please wait...]

Time passed second by second, and Jiang Yi's mind gradually went blank. She slowly closed her eyes.

As the fog dissipated, a lively sound came from the surroundings, as if people were discussing something in hushed tones.

On the long street, in the same spot.

The chestnut vendor looked distressed. The chestnuts he had roasted in the pan had all cooled down, and no one had come to buy them. After waiting for a while, he pushed his cart away. The vendors next to him looked at his back and couldn't help but feel sorry for him. A few people gathered around and whispered among themselves.

"Hey, have you heard? The second young mistress of the General's Mansion bought some of his roasted chestnuts, and she died on the spot after only a few steps!"

"Yes! This is too strange. It is said that Young Master Lin was there at the time and watched his wife stop breathing! He picked her up and rushed into the clinic, but in the end, he still couldn't save her. She was so young, what a pity..."

"Who can disagree? Young Master Lin and his wife are so loving, it's just that fate is against them!"

"But this has nothing to do with the chestnut seller, right? After the incident, wasn't it said that Young Master Lin personally interrogated the person? He's been released for several days now, and we haven't seen any officials looking for him. It shouldn't be poisoning, right?"

"Who told you about the poisoning? According to the old doctor at that clinic, the second young mistress wasn't poisoned, and she didn't have any external injuries. She just died in the street without any explanation. Don't you think that's strange?"

"Weren't there rumors in the capital that she was a monster? She was struck by lightning and knocked unconscious after the wedding ceremony with Young Master Lin! This is clearly God punishing her..."

"..."

As the conversation progressed, it became increasingly outrageous. Some said Jiang Yi was a monster, possessed by an evil spirit, while others claimed He Lin was bewitched by her...

The group chatted amongst themselves, spewing all sorts of nonsense. A Taoist priest sitting at a nearby tea stall sensed something was amiss. He put down his teacup, stood up, flicked his whisk, and walked over to the gossiping group to inquire about the situation.

When everyone turned around, they saw that the person asking them was a Taoist priest. He had a handsome face, no beard, and a loud, clear voice. He was wearing a gray-blue Taoist robe and had a whisk on his arm. He looked like a Taoist master with an air of otherworldly grace. Since the person asking them about such a strange matter had finally put their minds at ease, they immediately asked him if he was good at catching ghosts.

The Taoist priest chuckled and said to let him take a look first. After learning the general situation from them, he asked for directions to the general's mansion. The men showed no fear or apprehension, and instead vied to lead the way, their excitement stemming from their desire to catch a ghost.

Upon arriving at the gate of the general's mansion, no white silk was hanging from the beams, and there was no trace of any funeral arrangements in the entire mansion.

The Taoist priest was puzzled and, being straightforward, asked the question directly.

The group glanced at the servant on the steps, then pulled the Taoist priest aside and explained the situation.

It turned out that He Lin forbade anyone from burying his wife, nor allowed anyone to mourn or hold a funeral for her. Contrary to his usual practice, he dug out several cartloads of ice from the palace's ice cellar and transported them over overnight. With this ice, Jiang Yi's body could be kept from decaying for at least ten days...

Although the Taoist priest found the matter absurd, he was still moved by He Lin's obsession and affection for his wife.

So he was about to enter the general's mansion when several idle guides stepped back, waving him away and telling him to go in by himself; they didn't want to be chased out with brooms.

When the servants at the gate heard that the Taoist priest had come to see Jiang Yi's body, they exchanged a glance, unsure of what to do. The Taoist priest smiled and said that dark clouds were shrouding the general's mansion, indicating that something bad was about to happen.

Upon hearing this, the servant panicked. In the past few days, the rumors about their second young master and second young mistress had spread throughout the entire capital, causing a great uproar and becoming common knowledge. Now, a Taoist priest had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, claiming that something big was about to happen in their mansion. This was outrageous! One of the servants immediately ran in to report.

The Luoying Courtyard was bustling with activity, with a large crowd gathered around. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that the crowd was mainly divided into two groups.

One group, led by Qi Shuangyun, and the other group, led by Gu Ziyu and Shan Yanzhi, blocked the entrance to the courtyard, preventing Qi Shuangyun from entering.

Her face turned ashen, and she roared, "How dare you stop me? Let He Lin come out and talk to me!"

Gu Ziyu remained motionless and said, "I'm sorry, Madam, but the young master has ordered that no one is allowed to enter Luoying Courtyard."

"How dare you! Can't you understand what I'm saying? Let He Lin come out!"

"The young master will not see anyone."

"you……"

Qi Shuangyun nodded through gritted teeth: "Then don't blame me for forcing my way in!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she slightly turned her head and raised her chin. The servant behind her, holding a stick, was about to rush in when a voice came from the courtyard to stop her: "Stop!"

Su Tong stepped out of the courtyard and saw Qi Shuangyun bringing so many people to cause trouble, and couldn't help but frown.

"Madam, what are you doing?"

Qi Shuangyun sneered, "You still have the nerve to ask? That woman has been dead for so many days, what does He Lin mean by not burying her? Does he want to spend his whole life with a corpse?!"

"Madam! How...how could you say such a thing about Lin'er!"

"Why can't I say that? As the second wife of the General's Mansion, it's one thing for you not to stop He Lin's absurd behavior, but you even dare to stop me? Do you know what people outside are saying about our General's Mansion? Keeping that woman's body in the room and even freezing it with ice, doesn't he find it unlucky! I'm saying this one last time, get out of my way! Otherwise, don't blame me for forcing my way in!"

Gu Ziyu and Shan Yanzhi kept a wary eye on the group of servants behind her, ready to make a move at any moment.

Su Tong refused to budge an inch. She took a deep breath and said, "Madam, although I don't know why Lin'er did this, he must have his reasons. I used to respect you as the Madam and tolerated everything you did, but today I will never give in."

Qi Shuangyun sneered, "So, Su Tong, you think you can be my equal now that His Majesty has bestowed upon you the title of First-Rank Imperial Lady? Let me tell you! As long as I remain in this General's Mansion, I, Qi Shuangyun, will always be the legal wife, welcomed in with great pomp and circumstance! And you are nothing but a concubine! There is a difference between legitimate and illegitimate wives! I'd like to see if you can stop me today!!"

"Madam—reporting to Madam—"

Qi Shuangyun had just finished speaking and hadn't even had a chance to act when a servant came running up behind her, calling out to her in a drawn-out voice.

"Reporting to the First Madam, there is... there is one at the door..."

The servant ran so fast that he was panting heavily as he gestured to Qi Shuangyun.

"How dare you! What kind of behavior is this, acting so recklessly? Have you encountered a ghost in broad daylight?!"

"No! A Taoist priest came to the gate. He said he observed the celestial phenomena and saw dark clouds above our general's mansion, indicating something big was about to happen! He kept insisting on seeing him... wanting to see him..."

Qi Shuangyun was frantic: "What do you want to see? If you can't speak properly, cut your tongue out!"

The servant glanced at Su Tong and said, "He said he wants to see the second young mistress!"

"Hmph, I was just thinking of finding a high-ranking monk to come to my house to chant sutras and pray for blessings, to dispel bad luck. A Taoist priest would be fine too. Tell him to come in and see if our second young master is being so stubborn and strange, or if he's been possessed by something unclean! Go and bring him over!"

"yes."

"..."